Rash Decision
by Catrina Marlow
Summary: Gibbs ignores his body's signals. To his cost. Thank goodness he has people around him who care about him.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: The characters from the show aren't mine, they belong to others. No copyright infringement intended. Any characters you don't recognise are mine. Feedback would be nice, positive feedback would be nicer. Enjoy!  
  
Category: NCIS gen, angst, hurt/comfort fic Rating: PG/13 Characters: Gibbs/Tony/Kate Series: No Spoilers: Assume all of Season One Summary: Archive: Just tell me where it's going Additional 'stuff': I got the shingles information from a medical website. It might not be accurate.  
  
Title: Rash decision - One  
  
Gibbs sipped yet another mouthful of coffee and tried to concentrate on the report he was reading. He was tired. Not just the usual tired either. Over the previous few weeks he had grown used to the general feeling of tiredness which overtook him, usually by mid-afternoon. In the previous few days, however, the feeling that a heavy weight was pressing him down had begun to start earlier and earlier. His team had been working on one case after another, without the usual few days between cases. He hadn't left the office before midnight in the past two weeks. He knew he needed a day away, to work on the boat or hire one to take out onto the water. But that just wasn't possible, whatever anyone else thought.  
  
Worried for him Kate and eventually even Tony had pressed Ducky into 'having a word'. Kate had seen the increasing amounts of coffee and corresponding decreasing amounts of food Gibbs was consuming, and saw the deep dark circles under his eyes. Tony was just fed up with the yelling.  
  
Gibbs had heard and dismissed Ducky's increasingly short-tempered pleas for him to take a week off. Even a day. Half a day. Eventually, tempers frayed, the two men yelled at each other and, after that, Ducky refused Kate and Abby's almost hourly requests to make Gibbs see sense.  
  
Scowling, Gibbs rubbed the spot on his shoulder which had begun to ache badly earlier in the week. Suddenly he gasped, gripping his shoulder. 'AHH!!'  
  
Kate yelled across the room. 'Tony!'  
  
Looking up from where he had been chatting to one of the Middle East desk assistants, Tony frowned. 'Yeah?'  
  
'Call Ducky! And call 911. NOW!!'  
  
Gibbs was pale, shaking, gasping for breath that wouldn't come, his heart racing. Kate hurried across and pulled him to the floor, loosening the buttons at his collar. Trying to bat her hands away, Gibbs yelped as another wave of agonizing pain, worse, if that were possible, than the pain of being shot in the first place, surged through his shoulder, down as far as his knee as Kate held him down.  
  
Tony behind her, Kate knelt helplessly beside Gibbs, resting her hand on his chest, feeling his heart thudding through his ribs. 'Ducky's coming…stay still.'  
  
Gibbs looked up and gasped. 'Get your…hand…off me.'  
  
Stunned by the instruction, Kate sat back on her heels.  
  
'Hurts more.' Gibbs explained through gritted teeth.  
  
'It hurts when I touch you?' Kate asked.  
  
Gibbs groaned as another bolt of agony lanced through his left side, managing to whisper: 'Yeah. Tell…Ducky.'  
  
The ME arrived at a run, black bag in hand. 'What happened?!'  
  
'I think it's a heart attack.' Kate said, relieved Ducky had arrived. 'He says it hurt more when I touched him.'  
  
Ducky frowned, kneeling beside Gibbs, pushing his shirt and undershirt up, exposing his heaving chest, moving his hands over Gibbs' torso, eliciting a pained groan from the man at his side. 'Well, that doesn't sound like a typical heart attack symptom to me.' Slipping a thermometer between Gibbs' lips he pointed a finger at the numerous raised angry red-colored dots over Gibbs' left side. 'And it almost never causes a rash.' He pulled the thermometer from Gibbs' mouth when it beeped.  
  
'Hmm…one-oh-two.' Ducky looked at the man beside him. 'Next time I tell you to go home, you'll go home, yes?'  
  
Gibbs nodded, the only movement that seemed to cause no additional pain.  
  
The wailing siren drowned out Ducky's anecdote about how he had seen a similar case to this one in a young woman in Mexico.  
  
Later…  
  
Gibbs scowled at the IV line in his right arm. With the itching, burning pain in his left side, and the IV taped to his right arm he felt uncomfortably vulnerable. 'What is it?'  
  
Ducky walked across from the door where he had been chatting to the ER doctor. 'Shingles. With all the extra hours you've been putting in, and the bullet wound, and your age…'  
  
Gibbs scowled at that last point.  
  
'…together with your diabetes, you were at high risk for something like this.'  
  
'What the Hell is shingles?!' Gibbs demanded.  
  
'Look down.' Ducky said, waving at Gibbs' left side.  
  
'This…rash…and the pain?'  
  
Ducky nodded. 'The rash will blister and itch for a couple of weeks, then they'll dry up. In two or three weeks time you won't even know you ever felt this bad. Unless they scar of course.'  
  
'Scar?'  
  
Ducky nodded. 'More likely to happen if you scratch.' He leaned down, tapping Gibbs right hand. 'So don't scratch.'  
  
Gibbs squirmed. 'Easy for you to say. It itches like Hell.' He scowled and huffed, making Ducky smile.  
  
'The doctor's going to prescribe something for that. And you're going to let the nursing staff take care of you.'  
  
'I've gotta stay here?!' Gibbs began to sit up, but the IV line held him back.  
  
'Just for a day or two.' Ducky reassured. 'The doctor wants to make sure the rash doesn't spread and your temperature doesn't go any higher.'  
  
'You're doing this to punish me for not taking time off.' Gibbs said sulkily.  
  
Ducky smiled and rested his hand on Gibbs upper arm, mindful of the IV line. 'Shh…enjoy it. Being waited on hand and foot, not having to worry about anything except which of the lovely nurses will be in to give you a blanket bath each morning.' He grinned, eyes half-closed at the mental image.  
  
Gibbs' facial muscles twitched. 'Ducky, get me out of here in two days or so help me…'  
  
Ducky chuckled and walked to the door. 'I'll be in to see you tomorrow.'  
  
'Bring coffee.' Gibbs snarled.  
  
Continued in Part Two… 


	2. Rash Decision Part Two

Disclaimer: The characters from the show aren't mine, they belong to others. No copyright infringement intended. Any characters you don't recognise are mine. Feedback would be nice, positive feedback would be nicer. Enjoy!  
  
Category: NCIS gen, angst, hurt/comfort fic Rating: PG/13 Characters: Everyone Series: No Spoilers: Assume all of Season One Summary: Archive: Just tell me where it's going Additional 'stuff': I got the shingles information from a medical website. It might not be accurate.  
  
Title: Rash decision – Two  
  
The following day…  
  
7am…  
  
Ducky walked into the room, smiling as he crossed the floor, Gibbs sleeping on his belly, bedclothes down to his waist. His smile faded as he saw the rash which covered almost all of Gibbs' back and shoulders, extending below the edge of the sheet. Frowning, he left the coffee on the table beside the bed and snatched at the sheet, exposing Gibbs butt and thighs. 'Oh no…'  
  
Gibbs woke suddenly as the cool air rush over his bare buttocks. 'What the…ahhh…what happened?'  
  
Ducky put a restraining hand on Gibbs' shoulder as he began to turn over. 'Lay still Jethro…how are you feeling?'  
  
'Like crap! I need coffee!' Gibbs snapped.  
  
'I don't think the antivirals are working. I'll speak to your doctor.'  
  
'Coffee.' Jethro looked over his shoulder, scowling as he pulled the sheet back up.  
  
Ducky chuckled softly, lifting the cup into Gibbs' vision, swinging the cup back and forth in a pendulum motion until Gibbs groaned. 'I'm gonna…throw…'  
  
Ducky snatched for a bowl, holding it under Gibbs' chin just in time.  
  
'Sorry.' Gibbs rasped, coughing, grimacing.  
  
Ducky filled a paper cup from a stack beside the sink, carrying it back to Gibbs. 'Here…'  
  
Gibbs sipped the cold water, grimacing. 'Damnit Duck…what the Hell is wrong with me?'  
  
Sighing, Ducky shrugged. 'I'm not an expert Jethro. Let me go and find your doctor.'  
  
'Don't be long.' Gibbs groaned, hating the edge of pathetic neediness he could hear in his voice.  
  
9am…  
  
Tony and Kate arrived together, Tony carrying Gibbs requested Boatbuilder Monthly magazine and Kate holding the coffee beaker.  
  
They walked automatically into Gibbs' room and Kate almost lost her grip on the paper cup in her hand. 'Where the Hell is he?!'  
  
Tony looked around. 'I'd say he's not here.'  
  
Kate gave Tony a withering look and sighed with relief when Ducky appeared in the doorway.  
  
'Hello my dears…Jethro's being…examined.'  
  
Kate put the coffee on the bedside table. 'Examined for what?'  
  
'Well, his rash is worse than yesterday.'  
  
'Is he gonna be okay?' Tony asked nervously.  
  
'He is in the best place Tony.' Ducky reassured.  
  
A bang on the doorframe startled all three of them. 'Which one of you is Dr Mallard?'  
  
Ducky smiled politely at the young doctor. 'I am. Do you have news of their boss?'  
  
The doctor nodded tiredly. 'Yeah. He's serious. Heading for critical. He went downhill at a rush all of a sudden a few minutes ago. He have family? You should call them. Soon.'  
  
Kate felt tears pricking her eyes and Tony just stared at Ducky.  
  
Ducky sighed. 'May we see him?'  
  
The doctor considered for a moment. 'He was a little…agitated. We've sedated him.'  
  
Tony put his arm around Kate's shoulders, felt the tension and almost removed his hand until he felt her move slightly closer. Ducky lead the way as they followed the doctor. 'He's gonna be fine Kate…Gibbs is strong as an ox. You know that.' Tony's whispered reassurances were as much for his own benefit as Kate's.  
  
Gibbs lay under the sheet, face relaxed and pale, IV lines and other monitors snaking wires from his still silent form. Kate moved closer to the bed, sliding her fingers into the hand without any equipment attached to it. Tony took up a position on the other side, just watching, not touching, his heartbeat seeming to synchronize with the beeping of the cardiac monitor. Ducky conferred in a whisper with the ICU doctor who stood a few feet away.  
  
The following morning…  
  
Tony sat beside Gibbs, reading an article from the magazine he had brought with him the previous day. The words began to merge and he sighed. 'You know you can buy boats already made up, right boss?'  
  
Kate walked in, coffee in hand. 'Tony?'  
  
Tony smiled tiredly. 'Hey.'  
  
'Have you been here all night?' She frowned.  
  
Tony yawned. 'Um…yeah.' Tony looked at his watch.  
  
'Go home. Sleep. Gibbs isn't going anywhere.'  
  
Tony chuckled. 'Yes Mom.'  
  
Cuffing him gently around the head Kate scowled. 'Go. Home. Now. Tony.'  
  
Tony pulled himself to his feet and ruffled his hair. 'Why does he do that?'  
  
'What?' Kate shrugged.  
  
'Hit me.'  
  
Kate laughed. 'He doesn't hit you Tony. It's a sign of affection.'  
  
'It is?' Tony was unconvinced, pulling himself tiredly to his feet.  
  
'Yes. Want me to call you a cab?'  
  
Tony stumbled slightly. 'Uh…yeah…thanks.'  
  
Kate pulled out her cell phone and pressed the speed-dial for a local cab firm.  
  
Kate sketched quietly, pleased to have Gibbs still for a change. No scratching his nose, shifting on his seat or moving his head. The pencil moved swiftly over the page, filling in detail, light and shade, tone and texture.  
  
Standing over her, Ducky's figure cast a dark shadow. She turned, smiling, closing her sketchbook.  
  
'He's still sleeping Ducky. What did the doctor say?'  
  
'The next twenty-four or forty-eight hours are critical. His body is in no condition to fight this without help, but the doses of antivirals are extremely high. I'm afraid we shall have to wait and see my dear.' Ducky squeezed Kate's shoulder gently. 'You have a wonderful talent Kate. Does Jethro know?'  
  
Kate smiled. 'Yeah.'  
  
Continued in Part Three… 


End file.
